When India takes on New Zealand in the first T20I on Friday, all eyes will be on Hardik Pandya's Team India. It's a group of youthful and skilled players that will face a full-strength Black Caps team at home.
The absence of veteran players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and others does not make the selection process any simpler. The struggle for a position in the final XI is as fierce as it has always been, and it will be interesting to see who all gets to play the series opener at Ranchi's JSCA International Stadium.
Meanwhile, former India selector Saba Karim believes that batter Rahul Tripathi should be given a chance in the opening match. Rahul made his debut against Sri Lanka in Pune and followed it up with a quick-fire 16-ball 35 in Rajkot. Before Suryakumar Yadav's century, his spectacular cameo enabled India set the visitors a massive goal of 228 runs. The game was eventually won by the Men in Blue by a score of 91 runs.
"I want to see Rahul Tripathi get more opportunities at No. 3 since he fared well in his second game. He had a good strike rate when batting. "There is no need to make too many adjustments when you have such a superb batter," Karim said. "Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are undeniably the Nos. 4 and 5 batsmen. "Place Deepak Hooda at No. 6," he says.
In selecting his top order, Karim stated that the management should give opportunities to players who have had a consistent run in the recent past.
"Team India must look at the hitters who performed in the past T20I series. Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan should be the first-choice openers. Those who have excelled should be given opportunity," Karim added.
With Prithvi Shaw recalled for the New Zealand T20Is, the subject of India's opening combination was raised again, this time to captain Hardik Pandya, in light of how the tandem of Gill and Ishan Kishan performed at the top during the Sri Lanka series.
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